Ford F 350 Engine Fire

In our last blog update, January 7, we talked about the recall issued by Hyundai regarding faulty antilock brake and hydraulic electronic control units.  In that blog, we also discussed the recall of thousands of Tucson SUVs that contained a defective ABS/HECU control circuit board.  The circuit board has a tendency to corrode, short circuit and cause an engine fire.  A recent investigation into an engine fire in a 2017 Ford F350 showed that a similar ABS/HECU was installed in that vehicle at the factory.  The vehicle was purchased new by the insured/owner and as a result, the ABS/HECU had never been replaced.  A photograph of the ABS/HECU is shown below.  When compared to the photograph of the ABS/HECU in the previous blog entry, the units are identical.  Although it is unknown if the unit in the Ford truck is the same as the recalled unit in the Hyundai Tucson, corrosion could still be the reason why the engine fire occurred in the Ford vehicle.  Engine fires attributed to the faulty ABS/HECU units can occur without warning.  That is, there are no instrument panel warning lights that illuminate prior to a fire.  In this particular case, the warning that the owner got was that the engine lost power (since it was a diesel engine).        

ABS/HECU found in Ford F 350

Hyundai Recalls Vehicles Due to Fire Risk

Hyundai Motor America has recalled approximately one half million vehicles as a result of engine problems that pose a fire risk.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that approximately 380,000 Kia Soul and Sportage vehicles will be recalled by Hyundai.  The Kia Soul vehicles are equipped with 1.6 liter engines and can operate at higher than normal exhaust gas temperatures due to abnormal combustion.  The elevated exhaust temperatures can damage the catalytic converter as well as ignite combustible material such as oil, fuel and plastic.  The affected year models are 2012 through 2016.  NHTSA has also announced that Hyundai is recalling approximately 120,000 Tucson vehicles for a potential oil pan leak.  The Kia Sportage is also being recalled for this same problem.  Oil leakage in the presence of an ignition source, such as a hot engine, can pose a fire hazard risk.  The affected year models are 2011 through 2012 for the Sportage and 2011 through 2013 for Tucson vehicles.

For additional information, owners can contact Hyundai Motor America at 855-671-3059 or visiting https://hyundaiengineinfo.com.